C aveolae were originally identified with an electron microscope as flask-shaped membrane invaginations on the surface of epithelial 1 and endothelial cells. 2 These plasmalemmal vesicles are enriched in sphingolipids, cholesterol, and caveolin (Cav), the major protein constituent of these structures. 3 Three Cavs have been identified in differentiated cells with specific patterns of distribution. Cav-1 and Cav-2 are found in adipocytes and endothelial cells, 4 whereas Cav-3 is selectively expressed in muscle cells. 5 Caveolae participate in many cellular processes, including vesicular transport, 6 cholesterol homeostasis, 7 regulation of signal transduction, 8 integrin signaling, 9 and cell growth. 10 Despite this, it is rather surprising that all Cav-null mice are viable, including the complete caveola-less mouse; however, the combined loss of Cav-1 and Cav-3 has profound effects on the cardiovascular function. 11 Caveolae have now been demonstrated to concentrate a wide variety of signaling molecules, including Src family tyrosine kinases, H-Ras, heterotrimeric G protein ␣ subunits, protein kinase C isoforms, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS; i.e., NOS-3). 12 Many signaling molecules directly interact with Cav-1 through a defined modular protein domain, which is known as the Cavscaffolding domain. The Cav-scaffolding domain has been shown to directly inhibit the activation of NOS-3, 13 epidermal growth factor receptor, 14 and c-neu 15 among other molecules. Moreover, Cav-1 is a potent inhibitor of proliferative pathways such as the Ras-p42/p44 MAP (mitogen activated protein kinase) kinase cascades. 16 Cav-1 expression negatively regulates cell cycle progression through a p53/p21-dependent pathway, 17 and several cellular oncoproteins down-regulate Cav-1 expression. 10